carts, 18,325 wheel harness, 23,254 sets lead harness, 1,583 sets irregular harness, 12 traveling and 432 portable forges.

The trains of the Army had been brought to high state of efficiency by the 30th of June, 1864, and they were probably not increased in magnitude during the year, the purchase and manufacture serving only to keep them in a complete and efficient state. Much of the harness and many of the wagons having been purchased early in the war, and in continual use, are worn and of little value.

The army of General Sherman and the Army of the Potomac uniting at Washington, after four years of active campaign, in which the former had marked from the Mississippi to the Potomac, brought together in the District of Columbia army wagons of the regulation pattern which had been used at the first battle of Bull Run on the 21st of July, 1861, some of which had made all the campaigns of each army since.

The baggage wagons and harness, the general equipment of the trains of our armies, are probably of models which cannot be improved. They have borne the rough usage of war in the hands of men of little experience at first, and not willing to take that care of them which can be expected from and enforced upon the veteran soldier.

The experience of this war has convinced all officers all officers of this department that for the army trains mules are much superior to horses, and of late the horses rely disappeared, being transferred to the cavalry or artillery and replaced by mules.

A copy of Special Orders, Numbers 44, headquarters Armies of the United States, City Point, Va., June 28, 1864, accompanies this report. it sets forth in detail and clearly the organization and size of the trains of an active army as perfected by four years" experience in the field.

With this report are several reports from officers of this department giving information as to the movement and management of the trains of armies in campaigns. This information is seldom available to the military student. It is of great value and should be printed for reference and use hereafter.

SEVENTH DIVISION-CLAIMS.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1865, and from the termination of that year to October 10, 1865, there were presented and referred to the Seventh Division of this office 11,494, amounting to $2,316,361.53. Four thousand three hundred and thirty-seven were passed, amounting to $1,239,872.23; 5,867 were rejected, amounting to $950,455.66; 1,290 remain in file for further action, amounting to $126,033.64.

The Seventh and Ninth Divisions of this office have been in charge of Colonel B. C. Card, whose intelligent t and prompt discharge of the duties assigned to him have met my entire approbation. I have named him with others to you for the promotion which he richly merits.

TRANSPORTATION OVER THE PLAINS.

The troops operating on the great Western plains and in the mountain regions of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho are supplied principally by the trains of the Quartermaster's Department from depots established on the great routes of overland travel, to which depots supplies are conveyed by contract. The contractors are the freighters or merchants of the overland trade. This department has